I realize there are a thousand different answers to this and just as many reasons  why this might be happening, but here goes.

   We have a director who really does not seem "into" the production...at all.  Or even shows ANY respect for the stage at all.  (Never mind the technical side of things!) she is the head of the drama dept. Now this is a high school program, but I do believe the basic principles are the same.  Yes, we have talked to her directly, yes we've gone a step up (no one REALLY gets the problem or seems to care) This is the way for pretty much all the shows directed by this person:

I come in and my props (some made from scratch, some bought) have been broken by her class, set pieces are broken, same reason (holes in soft flats REALLY look bad even when patched.) The repsonse I got was just a shrug and "oh well."  Last itme this happened it took alot not to really yell at her (especially in front of the students) I have just enough time to do things once, not twice.

  For this show, it has been double cast for our matinee show (1st time) but they are rehearsing HALF as much, not twice as much. Cast memebers are asking  why only 2 days a week rehersal total?

I love what I do (I'm the TD for the program) so leaving is not an option. The program is really suffering, attendance is down and the kids morale isn't good.

All I can really do is have my crew make the best set they can. Then what? Watch the show fall apart??? hard to keep  kids interested that way. but stepping rally does not SOLVE the problem, just hides it.

We are building a new auditorium (construction starts any day now)  so I am really concerned for the future of the program, any ideas???

Thanks for "listening"

Aimee

Educating the students in her class is a problem, as I am only there AFTER school and none of them are in crew (and could care less) Educating the director is what we need and, well, I get better response from the props. Yes it is paid, which I think is the reason she continiues to do this though she has a baby now (yep, that is why the schedule dropped.) I am just trying to figure a way to open her eyes to the problem or get her to step aside. There really isn't a "chain of command" with extra activities.

I was just looking for any thoughts, any on dealt with something like this. THe neglect has always been an issue, it's just getting worse so I am trying even harder to stop it beofre the new site is done.

 Aimee

What about rallying the PARENTS of the students involved?  Since this is a school, this extra-curricular activity would be important to their children's education, enjoyment and experience.  IF the productions are suffering, surely the parents and audiences have noticed.  They may be just as frustrated as you, but need somebody to organize or spearhead a committee to straighten things out.

You are just one person.  There is strength in numbers.  A petition or concentrated letter-writing campaign to this director or her supervisor (the dean or principal) might just wake up the faculty and shake-up the facility.  You said there is no "chain-of-command" yet this is a paid position.  Unless she is paying herself, find the person who writes her checks and direct the campaign towards them.

"So no one can point the bone at you, this will be necessary anyway, when it comes to the builders warranty & the facility Insurance assessment."

Must say I agree here. CYA we call it here (stands for Cover Your A**) safety will be imporant  in the new space as well with current shows. Even if nothing comes it. you should regeister your complaints with the higher ups in writing. That way no one can blame you for anything.

My thoughts exactly.  In every educational theatre I've been involved with, there has been the "expectation" (that's a nice way of saying "requirement") that the cast either attend scheduled cast-crew nights, or put in X number of hours on the tech side.

There's obviously a lack of respect on the part of this person for her fellow artists, and it's being communicated to the students. 

Did you ever see the Fred Astaire movie, The Band Wagon?  The director (played beautifully by Jack Buchanan) is absolutely screwing the production into the ground, and the show limps through opening night.  At the party afterwards, the cast decides to re-work the show themselves.  [Unknown to them, the director is present and buys into the changes, and a hit results.]

Maybe that's the sort of thing you need.  Get the cast and crew into the same room, without the director, and clear the air.  See if you can't get everybody to agree that this ain't right.  Then go en masse to the director with a "maybe you don't care but we do" speech.

Maybe it'll wake her up.  Maybe it'll make her quit.

Maybe it won't do anything.

But it might make you feel better that you tried something.

I can't really think of anything else.  Best wishes.